The present invention relates to devices for controlling delivery of workpieces and/or workpiece containers of substantial size in manufacturing or assembly operations and, more particularly, to an improved material storage and delivery structure and system for storing, delivering, positioning and removing both full and empty workpiece containers to and from assembly or production line workstations as desired.
As is well known, assembly or production line facilities require the delivery and temporary storage of large volumes of production parts at or near assembly or production line workstations to support worker line operations on a continuous mass production basis. Automotive production line or assembly line operations in particular require the delivery of large numbers of parts of substantial size for assembly to automotive or truck vehicles or subsystems thereof, on a continuous basis. For example, engines, body panel parts, air conditioning assemblies, fuel tanks and brake assemblies are typically stored, moved and delivered to line workstations in stackable trays or pallets, which have a substantial volume and mass.
Due to the fact that mass production operations require the continuous delivery of a large number of such parts during any particular work shift, typical assembly line operations require movement, positioning and temporary storage of large numbers of such stackable trays at the production facility. Substantial floor space is thus often needed for movement and repositioning of both full and empty trays to facilitate delivery of full trays to the production line and removal of empty trays when the production parts contained in each tray has been fully depleted. Typically, empty trays are moved by the line operators into a position out of the way. Due to the size and weight of these empty trays, significant ergonomic problems have arisen.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a production part container storage and delivery system which facilitates the delivery of fresh trays of parts to a production line work station as needed. It is also desirable to provide such a system, which enables empty trays to be similarly removed from assembly line workstations without operator or continuous service vehicle assistance. It is further desirable to provide such a system which stores in positions full and empty production part trays as desired and which facilitates the storage, delivery, positioning and removal of a sufficient number of such trays to obviate the need for supplemental vehicle intervention over the entire work shift. It is also desirable to provide a system which enables production workers to index the height of the trays at the workstation as needed to improve ergonomic conditions.
The present invention is intended to satisfy the above desirable features through the provision of a new and improved container storage and delivery structure and system which is designed in structural modules operative to define a base portion having an input and output portion, a shuttle lift for lifting and positioning empty trays into a discharge portion, and a shuttle or conveyor for conveying the empty trays into the discharge portion.
In one embodiment of the invention, the output portion has a rotatable table and a lift. These components allow the operator to position the components stored in the trays in the most ergonomically efficient position. The system further has a controller for controlling the operation of the conveyor and the lift, with the system shuttling empty trays and stacking them properly in the discharge position.
The above and other features of the invention will become apparent in the reading of the detailed description of the preferred embodiments, which makes reference to the following sets of drawings.